1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for adaptively changing a constant power level of a system in compliance with a system specification. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for, to stably supply a constant power of a system power source.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to meet consumer demand for ever-faster processing capability in a terminal, such as a notebook computer, manufacturers have instituted changes in hardware such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a graphic chipset, a memory, etc. in the same main board. The manufacture of a terminal in compliance with diverse system specifications has been provided to the consumer in an attempt to meet consumer demand.
A person of ordinary skill in the art can appreciate that the CPU, graphic chipset, memory, etc. are usually responsible for most of power consumption of in a system for terminals of this type. Depending on a sum of the power consumption by all the items in such terminals, the manufacturer differentially determines a capacity of a power source supplied to each system. Here, the capability of the power source supplied to the system means a capability of an adapter.
The manufacturer determines a suitable adapter capability by to provide appropriate resources to several main boards in order to satisfy various system specifications. As a result of such a determination of suitable adapter capability, resultantly, the manufacturer constructs the main board with different variations depending on the adapter capability.
For example, if the adapter and a system external power source, simultaneously supplies power to a system and a battery, the adapter will gradually decrease power supplied to the battery at a predetermined power level or more. After that, at a time the power supply to the battery is equal to zero, the adapter supplies power only to the system. Here, the power level at which the power supply to the battery decreases is referred to as a constant power level preset to the system. The adapter has to maintain a constant power of the system according to the constant power level in order to stably supply a power source to the system.
In order to maintain a constant power of a system within a main board, a constant power level within the main board has to be set differently depending on the capabilities of an adapter. In the case of a low capability adapter, if a constant power level is too high compared to capability, a safety accident such as adapter overheating, etc. occurs. On the contrary, in the case of a high capability adapter, if a constant power level is too low compared to capability, a problem of an increase of a battery charge time, etc. occurs, thus resulting in user's dissatisfaction. As such, the constant power level within the main board has to be set differently on a per-adapter-capability basis. Thus, the main board has to be constructed with a number of variations to accommodate the different constant power levels of the various adapter capabilities. If the main board is constructed with a number of variations to due varying adapter capabilities, there is a problem in that improperly combined main boards constitute a system by a management or worker mistake.
Also, it can occur that, as a consumers exchange or add, for example a CPU, a graphic chipset, a memory, etc. to the system after purchasing the system, the current system specification becomes different than the previous system specification at the time of original purchase. In this case, because of the improvement of performance of the changed system specification compared to the previous system specification, a system load increases, however, a constant power level set to the system by a manufacturer is kept as it is. If the same constant power level as a previous one is kept despite the increase of the system load as above, because system power and charge power are simultaneously supplied and the system load is high, the system power and charge power can fast exceed a capability of an adapter, thus resulting in overheating, etc. Here, in order to minimize the excess of the adapter capability and prevent the overheating, etc., the charge power has to be decreased through a decrease of the constant power level. In fact, the overheating issue is a potential safety hazard.
Thus, there is a need for a scheme that automatically changes a constant power level in compliance with current system specifications, thereby minimizing an excess of a capability of an adapter and preventing overheating, etc.